By Lt. Tyler Harris, Hilliard (OH) Police Department for calibrepress.com

A few years back, I found myself putting together a small presentation for my old high school. One of the coaches, an old friend of mine, asked if I would come in and talk with the outgoing senior football players about my time on the team and the foundation it provided me with as I moved on to college and into my law enforcement career. As most presentations do, I started with my background. I began writing down the highlights and milestones of my time in college and up to my current role as a Lieutenant in my department. While I had previously given presentations that started the same way, I found myself thinking more about those moments in time. Thinking not just of the accomplishment I was listing, but also the stories around it. The stories that formed that bullet point on the presentation itself. It changed the way I viewed that slide in the deck.

See, in the past, I would create that slide to give me a reference and build my credibility with whatever group I stood in front of. This same tactic is used by most instructors/leaders in all fields and is normally a part of instructing 101. It was a necessary step to move the presentation forward, and because of that, it could often be overlooked in its importance. I have been lucky enough to sit through a lot of courses with a multitude of instructors. These instructors have ranged from “never want to see them again” to “I would watch the presentation back-to-back if possible.” As I thought about my own presentations, I realized I was not giving that opening slide the credit it deserved. I realized I needed to look past the bullet points and remember where they started.

Most leaders in any organization will have the ability to fill a slide or two with their accomplishments. Things such as awards, different promotions, academic achievements, creation/completion of projects, etc. These are items they proudly list to show how far they have come. The loss that sometimes happens is when they don’t share the stories surrounding it. There is a high probability that every accomplishment listed was not easily won overnight. It took things such as grit, the ability to handle adversity, collaboration, and possibly just a little bit of luck. While this list is not all encompassing of what ingredients were needed, I think it is enough to stir up the memories surrounding that moment for any leader.

One of my proud bullet points is that I graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Otterbein University. While that may be the accomplishment, it does not cover the fact that, to make it through school, I worked full-time for 3 of the 4 years I was there. By senior year, I was a full-time student, full-time employee working second shift, and completing my required internship, which was unpaid. I often joked that getting into the real world would be a break since I would only have to work 40 hours a week. Reminiscing on those times helps to remind me of the hard work I did, and what I had to go through to help me be where I am today. It also stands as a reminder that the people I work with all have their own stories that play a part in their work lives. As a leader, it’s incumbent that I remember this when I make decisions or am reviewing things that cross my desk.

Another bullet point I proudly list is that my law enforcement career started in corrections with a county sheriff’s office before getting hired by the Hilliard Division of Police. What that bullet point does not convey is the great teammates I had, the hard work we did, and the adversity faced during that time. I had the honor of working with a great group of people who played a pivotal part that helps me in my role as an executive leader now. They showed me the importance of being honest with each other and your supervisor, even if you know it will be a tough conversation. We learned, together, how working hard for those around us created a culture and expectation for new officers to do the same.

It was through all this that I thought I had found the agency I would call my home. I was all in and ready to take the next step on my career path, which meant going on the road as a patrol deputy. I tested and interviewed with excitement that the moment was finally here, only to be told it was not. I was informed that I had not scored high enough on the interview panel to move on in the process. Crushed, I had decisions to make at that moment. Through all the talk with coworkers and the importance of handling adversity, I was determined not to let the decision change how I operated within the agency, knowing fully I was going to be leaving it. I saw it as the moment to walk the walk after talking all that talk. These moments, impossible to sum up in one bullet point, play a role in everything I do, even to this day, years later.

All the memories surrounding those bullet points are hard to capture on a slide. It wasn’t until that moment, creating that presentation for high school seniors, that I really considered the importance of them. As leaders in your organizations, I challenge you to take the time to relive your bullet points. Think about all the hard work and your mentality at the time you won that accomplishment. Doing this small feat will help to ground you. It will help to put you back in the boots of the front-line folks you are making that policy/procedure for. It will naturally cause you to check your ego in your leadership role. We do those we serve a disservice if we do not take some time to relive some of our past. We also do a disservice to ourselves if we do not take time to enjoy those moments. For every heartbreak and long day I discussed above, there are times that can remind me of why I love this job. For every moment of frustration and exhaustion, there is a time of laughter and fun that moves me forward. For anyone reading this article, whether a formal or informal leader, I challenge you to look past your bullet points to the stories that created them.

About the author:

Tyler Harris is a Lieutenant for the Hilliard Division of Police in Hilliard, Ohio. He serves as the Lieutenant over the Patrol Bureau, as well as overseeing several specialty units for the division. He has been with the Hilliard Division of Police since 2015. Prior to Hilliard, he worked for the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office in the Jail Division. Through his law enforcement career, he has served as a defensive tactics and Taser instructor, as well as a Field Training Officer.

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